Chapter 453: Can’t Afford It, Can’t Afford It

Chapter 453: Can’t Afford It, Can’t Afford It

“It still gets me a little excited just thinking about it…” Gale looked around the Auction venue. This was probably the largest-scale Auction they had ever experienced. Compared to this, the auctions Jing Li used to hold were practically child’s play.

After all, they were Adventurers. Unless they stumbled upon incredibly good fortune and obtained something truly valuable, making money was usually tough. It was already quite good if they could turn a profit. Every time they went on an adventure, they had to prepare a lot of tools in advance to ensure a decent survival rate. Even the highest rewards were only a few hundred gold coins. Now, it was conservatively estimated that everyone would get at least ten thousand gold coins. Combined with their past savings and the rewards given by the Sanctuary Church for this event, it was normal for Wood and Rick to think about retirement…

One reason they went adventuring was for fame, and the other was naturally for profit. They knew their own limits. Having adventured for many years and seen too many things, they understood that they couldn’t gain much from fame. On the other hand, Oss had a high chance of achieving it. Since fame wasn’t an option for them, ending with profit was fine. After all, with the incident of the Undying Witch, they already had some fame.

They not only participated in it but even survived. Now, they were sitting safely at this Auction. That experience could be considered a Legend in itself. After all, there weren’t many Witches around nowadays, unlike in the past when encounters with them were more common. Now, encountering a Witch? It was something you might never experience in a lifetime.

Speaking of which, there had been quite a few Witches active recently. There was nothing much to say about that—it was all because of That Dragon. Their presence at the Auction alone had already attracted a lot of attention. Wood and Rick felt a bit emotional. Well, they had fame now too. In the future, they could boast about it with solid evidence and not worry about being questioned by others.

As for those trying to recruit them, Wood was somewhat tempted. But then he shook his head. This time, they had earned enough money. He no longer wanted to work as a guard or be used as someone’s weapon. Moreover, he was very aware of his own capabilities. Apart from years of adventure experience, his combat strength wasn’t particularly outstanding. Even Oss, who had been in the business for less than a tenth of his time, already had combat strength that could completely surpass his…

No, even if all three members of the team attacked him together, he probably wouldn’t last a single round. Was the disparity in combat strength huge? Not exactly. Even among those of the same level, if someone found your weakness, they could kill you instantly, let alone someone like them. Oss could now precisely grasp the weaknesses of many opponents. Even those stronger than him appeared powerless under the effects of those eyes.

Envious? Well, yes, they were a bit envious. But from Oss’s series of performances, they also knew that obtaining those eyes didn’t mean you could use them normally. The strain was such that someone with average physical constitution would be worn out after using them a few times. Those with average Spiritual Power couldn’t hope to activate the highest stage either.

“Should we buy something too?” Gale whispered. Watching all the rich people here, he felt nothing but a lack of confidence. Of course, since they had brought out a good item, they still had the qualification to enter the Auction venue. After all, that bottle of Magic Potion had already been appraised. It was itself a form of wealth—it was just a matter of getting the money earlier or later.

But after taking a look at the list provided by the Auction… Well, it wasn’t the list of important items, but the appetizer-like auction items. These were things that were hard to buy but could still be obtained through certain channels. For those attending the Auction, these weren’t a big deal. Knowing in advance allowed them to bid on these opening items more purposefully.

The valuable auction items wouldn’t appear on this list.

“Forget it. Anything here costs at least five hundred gold coins. Give up on that idea,” Wood said. The prices of the auction items on the list provided by the Auction were clearly marked. Of course, those prices weren’t fixed; they were starting bids. If you actually wanted to buy them, they would only get more expensive. They could easily imagine how high the prices would be for the items not on the list!

Tens of thousands of gold coins really didn’t mean much here. As for making money, it could only be said that if you weren’t at a certain level, it was really hard to earn.

Rare materials? If you were lucky enough to get a rare material, you might sell it for hundreds or even thousands of gold coins. But how could such materials be easily obtained? Even if you knew where to find them, whether you had the ability to get them was another question. You shouldn’t risk your life just for money.

Lucky individuals who could become rich overnight were ultimately few… More were unlucky souls hidden beneath such luck. Otherwise, why would so many Professionals engage in adventuring or Mercenary work? If this line of work was really so profitable, why would so many people struggle with adventuring?

So, for the items at this Auction, they just needed to look and broaden their horizons. They weren’t the main players in the real competition.

“But there seem to be many special things on this list,” Gale said, looking at some Alchemical Products on the list in his hand. The prices of these Alchemical Products weren’t too high or too low, nor were they particularly rare or special items. They were just Alchemical Products, available in large quantities, but mostly auctioned in sets. As for their effects… Many seemed to be for enjoyment. These things weren’t very suitable for rough guys like them but would probably suit those Nobles quite well.

These days, people would come up with anything to make money.

“What? You plan to experience the life of those Noble lords?”

“Forget it.” Upon hearing Rick’s teasing words, Gale immediately shook his head. “With my meager assets, I can’t afford to enjoy these.”

Although he had money now and could live worry-free afterward, assets shouldn’t be squandered so casually. Why couldn’t many Mercenaries or Adventurers save money?

The reason was simple. Every time they earned money, they couldn’t resist spending it, splurging left and right. That’s why Mercenaries and Adventurers were seen by many as both the richest and the poorest. As for those like Nobles… Well, these two professions were the easiest for people to come into contact with.

Wood and Rick used to be like that too. But after mixing in the business for a long time and gaining new life experiences, they realized it wasn’t good to live that way and changed their habits… Of course, this was the result of long-term reflection. Otherwise, why would so many Adventurers and Mercenaries stay in this line of work for over a decade or two, as long as they didn’t die accidentally?

You know, the wealth accumulated over these years, if added up, could already allow them to enjoy the rest of their lives carefree. Especially for those with better luck, once they entered this profession, they usually continued for various reasons for a long time.

But Wood and Rick now saw things clearly. Their youth was long gone, and it was time to plan for their future. They didn’t want to end up like some people who, after working until they couldn’t fight anymore, had saved nothing and could only barely scrape by in poverty. After all, this world had no shortage of Professionals like them who had a bit of power—there were just too many.

Before they could reflect much longer, the Auction officially began. Even though they probably wouldn’t buy anything, it didn’t stop them from watching the entire process. Zheng Yichen didn’t choose a private booth or anything like that but simply found a place to sit. Coincidentally, a Spellcaster who had participated in the previous gathering was sitting next to him… Irene!

In the eyes of others, this was their first formal introduction and meeting. For Spellcasters, it was natural to befriend people with potential and ability. Even though Zheng Yichen was a dragon, his abilities had already been demonstrated, so it was normal for him to be approached. In fact, over the past few days, whenever Zheng Yichen showed up, some Professionals tried to befriend him…

Besides Professionals, there were also Auxiliary Profession Practitioners, including… the Potion Masters Association. An invitation from the Potion Masters Association was still sitting in Zheng Yichen’s Personal Space. It wasn’t an invitation to join the association. After learning about Zheng Yichen’s identity, they had long given up on that idea. Even though success would be very tempting, the chances were just too slim!

The fourth newly emerged member of the Dragon Clan. If there were many dragons active on the Continent, it might be worth a try. After all, there were so many dragons. However… forget it. It was enough to invite him over for some exchange. Beyond that, they were more relieved that they hadn’t spread some of the information researched through cracking the Fixation Potion before Zheng Yichen did, trying to get a head start.

But you also had to consider who you were trying to get ahead of. Trying to outdo a dragon? That was just too reckless. More importantly, the little prodigy in the Potion Masters Association was eager to meet Zheng Yichen. Coupled with the association’s own intention, this invitation ended up in Zheng Yichen’s hands.

The person who delivered the invitation saw that Zheng Yichen didn’t refuse it and immediately sighed in relief. If he had refused, it would have been hard to report back. Since it was done, they hurried off to report the completion of the Quest. Although it was initially a tough job, after success, it was definitely a good thing. The invitation was for half a month later, conveniently missing the many events after the Purple Vine Guild’s affairs and giving Zheng Yichen plenty of time to resolve recent troubles.

Half a month? He wasn’t a pig; he could settle many things and return his schedule to a more relaxed period. Wait, Zheng Yichen thought about it. The so-called relaxed period would indeed be like that if he didn’t go looking for trouble. But if he suddenly felt like stirring something up… tsk!